After the Evening
by Kasigi Omi
Summary: Legolas recieves a tragic letter from Aragorn and rushes to Gondor. May turn to slash, may not.
1. Tragic Letter

Note: These characters are not mine. I wish they were, but.. I'm tired of all those A/L slash fics where they conveniently forget about Arwen, or have Aragorn dump her. He wouldn't do that. He loves her. No, no, she should either die or not exist at all. Anyway, I don't know if this will turn into a slash fic. Please read, review, and tell me if they should end up together. Whatever gets the most votes, friends or lovers, will win. Personally, I don't really even know where I am going with this, so I could use some direction. Thanks muchly!  
  
  
  
After the Evening  
  
  
  
The letter reached Legolas in Ithilien five years after he had settled there after the War of the Ring and his subsequent journeys with Gimli. In the near total darkness of twilight, he crumpled the letter in his hand and his head hung with sorrow. It was decided. He would set out the next morning.  
  
  
  
Aragorn sat disconsolately on a chair in his private chambers and tried not to reflect on how they were only his from now on. He lifted another goblet of wine to his lips, and was about to drink it all in one long draught when a servant came hesitantly to the door.  
  
  
  
"Yes?" he demanded wearily, irritated at the interruption.  
  
  
  
"Um, Prince Legolas of Greenwood has arrived. You asked to be informed when he reached the."  
  
  
  
"Yes, yes. I know what I said. That will be all," Aragorn sighed, standing up and waving the servant away with a careless hand. The servant was only too glad to leave. The King had been acting quite strange ever since.the tragic event.  
  
  
  
Dulled gray eyes darted about the room, new shards of pain stabbing into the bleeding heart every time they passed something that had belonged to her. It was too much. He would go to see Legolas now.  
  
  
  
"My friend," Legolas murmured in greeting. Then, upon seeing clearly the pain etched into Aragorn's face, he wordlessly opened his arms. Aragorn threw his dignity to the wind, and uncaring that someone may be watching, threw himself into Legolas' arms and sobbed for the first time since his beloved Arwen had died. 


	2. Wrenching Sobs

Note: I still don't know if this will become slash, though the votes are leading that way. Please, continue to tell me your choices, okay?  
  
  
  
Aragorn wept for a long time. So long, in fact, that Legolas felt himself sinking to his knees on the floor, Aragorn still clinging to him and sobbing into his green tunic. Hours, minutes, days. How long Aragorn cried Legolas knew not. All he knew was that he couldn't allow himself to cry as well. It would only add to the pain in his friends heart, and that was the last thing he wanted to do.  
  
Eventually the tears stopped flowing, and Aragorn heaved dry sobs for a while longer before he was completely exhausted. Silently, Legolas pulled him to his feet and guided him to the royal bed chamber, settling him on the bed before turning to leave for the night. They could talk tomorrow. At least they had a tomorrow.  
  
As he closed the door behind him, Legolas noticed a young boy watching him, obviously a servant in the castle. "Here, you," he called quietly.  
  
The boy scampered to his side. "Yes?" he asked politely.  
  
"What happened? Do you know what happened to the Queen?"  
  
The flash of sorrow in the boy's face made it quite clear to the Elf that Arwen had been loved by the people of Gondor, as well as the King. "Yes, I know."  
  
"Could you please tell me? The letter I received only said that she had died. It never said how."  
  
Casting his eyes to the floor, the boy shuffled his feet, obviously uncomfortable. "Please," Legolas pleaded, his voice showing the first signs of being choked by tears. "She was my friend for a very long time. Please, tell me what happened to her."  
  
Hearing the emotion in a voice that was usually full of song and joy moved the boy at last to speech. "All right." He sighed and cast his eyes towards the ceiling, as if trying to see the stars his Queen had been reminiscent of. "It wasn't anything too unusual, ya see. Actually, she died in childbirth, like a lot of women do."  
  
"Childbirth?"  
  
"Yeah. After she had Prince Eldarion she grew sick and just kind of….faded away."  
  
"I see. Thank you."  
  
The boy shrugged and scampered off, eager to get away from the uncomfortable situation. Legolas felt his shoulders droop as he trudged off to the guest room that Aragorn kept ever ready for him in case he were to visit. "Ah, Arwen. You gave up your immortality, only to lose your mortality shortly afterward." 


	3. Private Farewell

Note: Sorry for the length of time it's taken to update this particular story. I have no real idea where I'm going with it, and I've been really busy on top of that. I shall try my hardest to update once a week, but I make no promises.  
  
  
  
The next morning, Legolas rose before the sun and slipped silently out of the castle. He didn't want anyone to bear witness to his private moment. It wasn't hard to find the grove where his friend had been buried. The path made by the funeral party was still clearly visible, winding between the trees that grew just outside the city.  
  
Having spent so much of her tragically short life under the trees, it only made sense that she be buried there, rather than in the traditional royal graves. Tears welled up in his eyes as Legolas saw the flowers that had been strewn on the grave several days ago. Though they should have been mostly withered by this time, they were still as fresh as the day they had been cut. Even the earth itself was celebrating the life of the most radiant creature since Lúthien.  
  
Sinking to his knees beside the grave, Legolas first began humming Elven laments, and then he began singing aloud, his voice growing louder and stronger as he went. Around him, all was still and silent, as if the trees and creatures were listening as he sang for her departed soul, and wished her well, knowing he would never see her again, even in the next life. She was lost to their people forever.  
  
Just as the sun began to rise on the new day, he ended his song and stood. Reverently, he placed his fingertips against the cold marble. Though he had sung his laments in their native tongue, he said his final goodbye in the speech of Men, the people she had chosen to join with. "Farewell, and may you yet find your love in the Unknown Halls of Men at the end of his life. Sleep long, dream peacefully, and may the stars ever guide you on your course."  
  
And then he turned and walked away, returning to his room in the castle before anyone had even realized he had been gone. 


	4. Fleeting Memory

Note: Yes, yes it's short, and it's been a really long time since I last updated. Sorry. I don't really know where this story is going, you see? Still taking votes as to slash or non-slash. So far it's about even. These characters are not mine. Please enjoy my meager offering.  
  
Legolas breakfasted alone, having received an apologetic letter from his friend, informing him that he wouldn't be joining him. After yesterday, Legolas wasn't surprised.  
  
He ate in silence, then made his way to the gardens. Settling himself onto a marble bench, he remembered his past and his own friendship with Arwen.  
  
He recalled visiting Rivendell and getting into trouble with his friend. They had been a terror. Stealing food from the kitchens, practicing archery without knowing how to properly hold a bow, climbing trees and dropping acorns on passerby's heads, vanishing in the middle of the night. Elrond was often at his wits end when Legolas would finally return home with his father.  
  
When Aragorn had confessed his love for Arwen to Legolas, the Elf had been pleased. Even planning it himself he couldn't have come up with a better match, and when they had finally been married, the Elf had had to hold back tears of happiness and joy.  
  
Where was that happiness now? Gone, whisked away like a leaf on a stream. 


End file.
